Bottle-case-loading machine



Dec. 21 1926.

' 1,611,822 C.DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE Fi edvAugust 24. 19258' Sheets- Sheet 1 Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,822

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. c. DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE Filed ust 24, 1925 8 heets-Sheeta Patented Dec. 21', 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,611,822 PATENT OFFICE.

CARLOS DULCHE, 01 L08 ANGELES', CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF THIRTY-THREE PERCENT TO JORGE VERA-ESTANOL, SIXTEEN AND ONE-HALF PER CENT TO JUAN B.CASTELAZO, JR., AND SIXTEEN AND ONE-HALF PER CENT TO FRANCISCO CAS-TELAZO, ALL OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BOTTLE-CASE-LOADING MACHINE.

Application filed August 24, 1925. Serial No. 52,125.

My invent-ion is a bottle case loading machine particularly adapted toload milk or other types of bottles into a case for delivcry orshipping.

My invention comprises a comprehensive machine for feeding bottles overa case, retaining the bottles elevated at a high level until asufiicicnt number are grouped together in a basket type holder to fillthe case and then automatically dropping the bottles into the case. Thebottles are retarded in their drop so that they may not be broken,cracked or injure the case. The cases are automatically fed to themachine directly below the bottle holding basket and after being filledare automatically discharged from the machine.

Described and outlined more fully the machine has a bottle feeding beltor apron with a series of distributing passages with mechanism todistribute the bottles sidewise to a plurality of passages from asubstantially single entrance. The bottle holding basket has a series ofsegmental hinged tracks to support the bottles so that they may bepassed beyond the apron to a position above the case, the bottles beingpressed along by succeeding bottles shoving them into position. lhebottles cannot drop into the case until the bottle holding basket iscompletely filled when an electric circuit is established releasing atrigger which allows the tracks to swing downwardly and drop the bottlesthrough a contracted resilient chute.

The empty cases are fed intermittently to the machine by a high crossconveyor on to a balanced table. This table becomes depressed when thebottles are loaded therein and is immediately carried out of the machineon an endless belt type of conveyor. I show an electric drive for the.intermittent cross conveyor having an electric motor therefor with acircuit breaker so arranged to break the circuit when a case is inposition'to be loaded and thus stop the moveholding basket having spacesfor a plurality of bottles in accordance with the size of the case.andthe number of bottles to be placed therein in accordance with theparticular trade, retaining the bottles in the basket until it iscompletely filled and then automatically dropping the bottles throughrestricted chutes into the bottle cases. The objects also includerestraining the bottles from being fed into the basket until the bottlesare released from the basket to drop into the bottle cases and thetracks are again in the original position. A further object is in theautomatic feeding of cases to and away from the machine.

My invention will be more readily understoodv from the followingdescription considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire machine in the direction of thearrow 1 of Fig. 2, showing the feeding apron with the distributor forpassing the bottles into different passages, the dumping bottlebasketand the in and out conveyors.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrow 2 ofFig. 1, showingthe feeding-in conveyor in section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the discharge end of the machinetaken in the direction 6f the arrow 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4; is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.1 in the direction of the arrows 4, showing especially the bottleholding basket, the restricted chutes for the bottles, the balancedtable for the cases and the feeding-out conveyor.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55 of Fig. 2, showing inparticular the table for receiving the cases at the high level, holdingthem in position and the endless belt type conveyor for carrying theloaded cases out of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section in part side elvation, similarto Fig. 4, showing a filled case being discharged by the feedingoutconveyor.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation partially in section similar to Fig. 3,showing the mechanism operated by the dumping basket tracks on releaseof the holding latch by the electrically controlled electro-magnetoperated tracks in their bottle carrying position, with by the bottles,dropping the bottles into a case. This figure IS on an enlarged scalefrom Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section in a vertical plane on the line 88of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, showing the bottle basket withthe bottle supporting the bottle restrainers in their retracted positionallowing feeding of the bottles and also showing the resilient chutesfor dropping the bottles.

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section similar to Fig. 8 showing the bottlebasket at the moment of dropping the bottles and with the bottlerestrainer set to block the feeding of bottles.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electric circuitestablished by the filling of the bottle basket with the bottles and inicating an electro-magnet controlling the track controlling latch in itslocked position. r

Fig. 11 is a detail of the circuit breaker controlling the electricmotor for operating the feeding-in conveyor, showing the automaticsetting of the switch but not the making of the circuit, that is withthe circuit open on the lowering of the case table.

Fi 12 is a detail similar to Fig. 11, showing t e making of the-circuitby the rise of the balanced case table.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the machine is housed in aframel, having base longitudinal bars 2, intermediate bars 3, top rails4, front posts 5, intermediate posts 6, rear posts 7 back leg 8 andcross grid 9 and front bar 10. These are preferably formed into either aeast, side frames suitably connected and braced together or bystructural bars secured together to form a solid machine frame.

The bottle feeding and distributing mechanism is constructedsubstantially as fol lows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1,2, 1. An endless conveying belt or apron 11 is mounted on the drivingroller 12, and idler roller 13, positioned crosswise in the frame sothat the upper surface of the belt passes above a belt supporting web 14built into the frame transversely of the belt or apron. The belt travelsin the direction of the arrow indicated adjacent thereto in Fig; 4 andis driven b the belt 15 operating over a ulley 16 on the shaft 17 of thedriving roller 12, the said belt being operated by a drive pulley 18mounted on a transverse shaft 19 as will be hereafter set forth.

A series of guide rails 20 are positioned longitudinally of the machine,being attached to the front bar 10 and the stop bar 21 at the back ofthe machine above the top of the frame so that the rails extendforwardly over the belt as indicated in Fig. 4. The outer rails aredrawn inward in a plurality of curves 22, formin the straight guiderails 23 at their forwar end, thereb making a feeding-in throat 24 atthe forward end of the machine over the belt. The machine is constructedwith four passages 7 25 between the guide rails 20 so that four rows ofbottles will be fed over the cases and the central rail has a divertingnose 26 formed by spreading the guide rail located in the centralposition of the machine. This 75 nose has a pivoted deflecting finger 27having a spreading .base 28 and secured to the nose by the pivotpin 29.The ends of the intermediate guiderails 30 have similar deflectingfingers on their forward ends to so shift the bottles on each side ofthe saidrails between the outer rails 20 and the mid position rail 31.

The manner of operation of the feeding apron and distributing passagesis substant- 8B ially as follows :The bottles may be fed by any type ofmechanism into the machine to enter the throat 24:. If the deflectingfinger 27 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the bottles will be fed tothe opposite passage and engage in the spreading base 28 swinging thefinger in the opposite direction. The bottles will then be engaged bythe deflecting fingers on .the ends of the intermediate guide rails 30and deflected either to the left or to the right according to theposition of the finger to locate the bottles in the several passagesbetween the guide rails. It will thus be seen that the bottles enterinthrough the throat are alternately deflected left and right and thatthese bottles are likewise again deflected, each bottle in an alternatedirection so that the bottle basket will be uniformly filled.

The bottle holding and dumping basket is constructed substantially asfollows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9. Asabove described, the longitudinal guide rails 20,30 and 31 are extendedto the stop bar 21, forming a bottle holding basket designated generallyby the numeral 32. The outside rails 20 are provided with recesses' 33formed in sections with lugs 34= therebetween, said lugs having bushings35 through which may be inserted lengthwise the rock shafts 36. Theintermediate guide rails 30 have depending lugs with bushings 35therethrough in which are located similar rock shafts 36. These rockshafts have a series of tracks 38 formed of angular plates with awearing strip 39 extending upwardly. These tracks are shown secured tothe rock shafts 36 by pins 40.

A series of bridging plates 41 are secured to the upper edge of thefront bar 10 and extend close to the belt 11 as it passes over thedriving roller 12. These plates carry the bottles from the belt to thetracks 38. Narrow cross bars 42 are secured across the frame of themachine and carry rings 43 Kit ' occupy the position shownin havingspring wires 44.- attached thereto forming a resilient contracted chute45 bethe outside guide rails 20 and interme ate guide rails 30. Thesestop sprin s normally i'g. 8 being 1261181011611, to retract to suchposition.- Depressions 48 are formed in these rails so that the fingers46 may swing therein when the tracks are in their upper or carryingposition shown in Fig. 8. a

The rock shafts and hence the dumping tracks are controlledsubstantially as follows:

their lower ends to the latch bar.

Having reference particularly to Figs. 1,

.3, 4, 7 and. 10, a cam 49 is secured to the end of each rock shaft,preferably in an adjustable manner. being held in position by-a setscrew 5() and as the tracks are illustrated as dropping .in differentdirections of movement, the cams face in opposite directions. A latchbar 51 is supported'from standards 52 secured to the cross grid 9 bymeans of adjustable links 53 pivoted at 54 to the tops of the standardsand swivelly connectednat e pivot pins are preferably readily removableso that the links the be accurately adjusted in length by threa ing oneinto-0r out of the other in the manner of turnbuckles. Tension springs56 are-positioned between the pin 55 and the cross grid '9 normallydrawing downwardly on the latch bar and thereby pressing the cams 49into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, thereby holding the tracks 38in their horizontal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, so that thebottles may be fed into the basket through the medium of the apron 11causing the following bottles to press the leading bottles forward.

The electric trip mechanism to dump the bottles is constructedsubstantially as fol lows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 4and 10':-A latch hook '57 is secured to the back face of the latch bar51 and is engaged by a hooked head 58 mounted on the armature59, of anelectro-magnet 60, whichlatter is supported in a housing 61 mounted onthe cross grid 9. A series of push button switches 62 are mounted on thefront face of the'stop bar 21 in position to be engaged by the bottlesas they are pressed into the ma.- chine.

The electric circuit is shown particularly in Fig. 10 and is constructedas follows Electric leads 63 form a circuit from the source of power 64through the electro-magnet 60 and through each of the switches of thepush button type 62.- These switches are all m series-so thatitianece'ssa for'them all'to be eased-berm the circuit is established.Therefore the bottles' must bepressed completely and ti htly'into thebottle hold-' ing basket 32 so t at jthere will be as many bottles asthere are chutes 45 and as are required to",fill the case, and moreover,the

bottles will be properly centered. When the bottles in the difierentpassages 25 press their individual push button to establish the circuit,the electro-magnet is energized with drawing the armature and hook 58,thereby releasing the latch hook 57 and allowing the bottles to drop,moving the tracks from the position shown in Fig; 8 to that shown in ig.9 and shifting the cams 49 from the position shown in Fig.3 to that ofFig. 7. Thebottles are thus dumped into 'a case and in the rockingmovement of the rock bars the stopping fingers 46 are moved, from theposition shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in the stop springs 47 Fig. 9,thus thrustin across the bridging plates 41 and thus preventing thebottles being filled into the bottle holding basket.

When the bottles have been dropped into the case the springs 56 draw thelatch bar 51 downwardly and rock the cams 49 from the position shown inFig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 3, in which operation-the latch book 57 andthe hookedhead 58 become engaged due to a compression spring 65 pressingthe armature of the electro-magnet forwardly. Thus the tracks are lockedto permit. feeding of the bottles and there is no barrier in their way.

The mechanism for feeding the cases into the machine is constructedsubstantially as follows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 2,3, 5 and 7 :A conveyor frame 66 has an outside pair of legs 67 securedto the floor of the building and a bracket 68 secured to the side of themain machine frame preferably to the posts 6 and 7. A series of rollers69 are mounted in the frame 66 on each side thereof and are freelyrotatable and conveniently placed whereby an attendant may place emptycases thereon. Sprocket gear wheels 70 are journaled preferably byhaving shafts 71 and 7 2journaled respectively to the legs 67 and thebracket- 68. A sprocket chain 73 having feeding pins 74 are operated bythe sprocket wheels to feed the empty cases into the machine asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. The driving mechanism is hereafterdescribed in detail.

' The balanced table for supporting the empty case and in lowering it tothe feeding- .out conveyor is copst'ructed' substantially as follows,having reference particularly to 'rails are connected by a drop brace 78connected from one side to the other in order to hold the side panelsrigid, one in regard to the other causing uniform motion thereof.Inwardly extending arms 79 and 80 are attached to the side rails andextend close to the centrally ositioned out-feeding conveyor hereafterescribed. Guide plates 81 are pivotally connected to the arms 79 asindicated at 82 and have rearwardly projecting shanks 83.

A pair of lever arms 84 and 85 are pivoted by means of pivot pins 86 onbrackets 87 secured to the intermediate bars 3 of the main frame of themachine. The lever arms 84 have counter-weight arms 88 connectedtherewith with counter-weights 89 adjustably mounted thereon by means ofset screws or similar devices. A link 90 connects the two lever arms 84and 85 and on the pintles 91 carries rollers 92 which bear on the under-surface of the side rails 76 of the table 75, thereby always tendingto elevate the table.

The out-feeding conveyor is constructed substantially as follows, havingreference particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6:A main shaft 93 ismounted in the frame and is shown journalled at the top of the back leg8 where it joins the intermediate bars 3. This shaft carries the mainpulley 94 through which a drive is carried to the machine operating thesprocket gear wheel 95, and by means of the sprocket chain 96 the drivensprocket gear 97 fixed on the transverse shaft 19; As formerly mentionedthe drive is continued by the belt 15 operating the pulley 16 which inits turn transmits motion to the apron 11.

The sprocket chain 96 carries a series of projections 98 which projectupwardly through a slot 99 in a plate 100, which plate is supported by apair of brackets 101 on the fixed rod 102 extending transversely acrossthe frame. The plate thereby serves as a support for the boxes of filledbottles after the table 75 has been depressed by the weight of thefilled bottles. The shanks 83 of the guide plates 81 contact with therod 102 and thereby release the guide plates from the edge of the box orcase as shown in Fig. 6 so that the move ment of the sprocket chain 96in the direction of the arrow moves the filled case out o l? themachine.

The electrical control and motor drive for the feeding-in mechanism isconstructed substantially as follows, having reference par-- ticularlyto Figs. 2, 3, 5, 11 and 12 :-An electric circuit breaker designatedgeneral ly by the numeral 103 shown particularly in Figs. 3, 11 and 12has a fixed insulating plate 104 secured to a bracket 105 which iscarried by-a longitudinal brace 106 secured between the intermediateposts 6 and the rear post 7 on the opposite side of the machine from thefeeding-in conveyor. 'The bracket 105 carries a pair of lugs 107 towhich is pivoted a switch lever 108 having an outstanding projection 109on one side of the pivotal point and a plug contact 110 mounted on theother end on an insulating plate 111. A spring 112 is tensioned tonormall establish an electric circuit between t e socket members 113 and114, the member 113 having a binding post 115 connected to a lead wire116. The other lead wire of the circuit 117 "is connected to a bindingpost 118 having a cap 119 on the same side of the insulating plate 104.A strut 120 is secured to the balanced table 75, being attached to theside anels 76 on the opposite side from the fee ing-in conveyor andcarries an insulating strip 121 at its upper end with a coductingbridging bar 122 which is adapted when in its uppermost position asshown in Fig. 12 to bridge the space between the socket member 114 andthe cap 119 and in such position establish an electric current whichwill operate the electric motor.

The motor is designated generaly by the numeral 123 drives a gear 125 onthe counter-shaft 126, which latter has a gear 127 meshing with the gear128 on the shaft 72 which drives the sprocket wheels 70 of thefeeding-in conveyor sprocket chain 73. The action of the circuitbreaking mechanism above described is substantially as follows :If thetable 75 is in its uppermost position and no box is positioned thereon,the circuit will be established through the leads 116, post 115, socketmember 113, plug 110 socket member 114, bridging plate 122, cap 119,post 118 and electric lead 117 to the electric motor, which will operateto move the feeding-in conveyor and when a case contacts with theprojection 109 of the switch lever 1.08, the circuit will be broken asshown in Fig. 3 by the withdrawal of the plug 110 from the socketmembers 113 and 114. Thus the feeding conveyor will be brought to rest.A coil spring transmission 129 is used to transmit motion from the motorto the pinion 124 so that the abrupt stopping and starting of the motorwill not cause any damage. As shown in Fig. 3, the box on the table 75has been completely shoved over by contacting with the case on thefeeding-in conveyor mechanism. Hence after a case has been filled andlowered on to the feeding-out conveyor and the table has been elevatedto its uppermost position, an empty case is in position to beimmediately fed forward thereon.

It will thus be seen that I- have provided a machine for loading bottlesinto a' case which is automatic in that the bottles are fed into thebottle holding basket, retained thereinuntil all the rows are completelyand by means of the pinion 124 full when the bottles at the end of eachrow press against the electric switches making a series circuit whichactuate the electric trip mechanism alowing the bottles to drop into anempty case. The weight of the loaded case causes the supporting table tomove downwardly and the case to be removed by the out-feeding conveyor.Also on the upward movement of the table an empty case is fed into themachine by starting the electric motor is stopped sttopping suchconveyor and when the case is in position the electric motor is stoppedstotpping such canveyor.

My invention may be considerably changed in general construction and inspecific functions to suit loading of difierent types of cases orbottles and for other purposes, without departing from the spirit of myinvention as set forth in the specification and defined in the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A bottle case loadingmachine comprising in combination a machine framework'a conveyor forfeeding bottles, a bottle holding basket, means to retain bottlestherein and-means actuated by the bottles after the basket is filled todrop the bottles through the bottom of the basket into a case.

2. A bottle case loading machine compising in combination a machineframing. a bottle holding basket having means for holding a plurality ofrows of bottles therein, means for feeding bottles to the basket. atable positioned below the basket tot'holda case and means operated bythe bottles when the basket is filed to actuate a dumping mechanism todrop the bottles into the case.

3. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 2, having inaddition means to feed the bottles to-the difl'erent rows, said feedingmeans exerting a pressure on the bottles in the basket to operate themeans actuating the dropping mechanism.

4. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframework, a bottle holding basket having a plurality of dumping tracks,a conveyor apron to feed the bottles to the bottle holding basket on thesaid tracks, means to distribute the bottles on to the different tracks.a series of electric switches operated by the bottles to form a circuitin series when all the switches are closed, and establish an electriccircuit, said circuit having an electric device there in and means totrip the track and allow dropping of the bottles through. the closingofthe. said switches.

5. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframework, a plurality of guide rails extending longitudinally of theframework forming a series of passages therebetween, a conveyor apronoperating under the forward end of the passageway mounted on the stopbar, said switches being connected in series, an electrically operatedtrip mechanism to operate the dumpin tracks, the said apron and dumpingtrac rs permitting bottles to be fed into the machine to cause thebottles on the dumping tracks to operate the, electric switches tothereby drop the bottles into the case.

6. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 5, in which thedumping tracks comprise longitudinally extending shafts, track elementsmounted thereon, cams on the ends of the shafts, a latch bar movablymounted and engaging the cams and an filectro-magnetic device engagingthe latch 7. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 5, inwhich the table is supported on counter-balanced movable supportingelements adapted to lower the table when the case is filled with bottlesand to elevate the table when the case is removed.

8. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 5, in which thetable is mounted on counter-balanced lever arms adapted to permit thelowering of a case when filled with bottles, a feeding-out conveyoroperable underneath the table, having means to engage a case when thetable is lowered and feed it out of the machine, said counter-weightelevating the table when the case is removed.

9. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframing, a passageway extending longitudinally of the machine, a table,adapted to hold an empty case, a series of bottle retaining devices inthe said passageway over the table, an electric switch at the end of thepassageway, means to press a row of bottles in'the passageway againstthe electric switch and an electrically operated trip device to drop thebottles into a case on the table when the said passageway is filled withbottles over the bottle retaining means.

10. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframing, a bottle holding basket having a plurality of longitudinalpassageways, a series of con nected dumping tracks in each passageway,each section of track adapted to hold a bottle, an. electric switch atthe end of each passageway, said switches being connected in series,means to press the bottles lon itudinally of the passageways against tieswitches and electrically operated means to actuate the dumping tracksto drop the bottles through the bottle holding basket.

11. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 10, in which thetracks comprise a plurality of shafts, track elements secured t ereon, alatch bar 0 eratively connected to the shafts and an e ectro-magneticdevice to operate the latch bar when all the switches are closed toallow the dropping of the bottles through the basket. 12. A bottle caseloading machine as claimed in claim 10, in which the tracks comprise aplurality of longitudinally extending oscillatable shafts, trackelements secured thereto, cams on the ends of the shafts, a latch barmovably mounted and engaging the cams, an electro-magnetic trip deviceto release the trip bar when all the switches are closed and means tomove the trip bar to its normal position and thereby oscillate the trackelements to their normal position after dropping bottles.

13. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframework, a plurality of guide rails extending lengthwise of theframing and forming a plurality of parallel passageways, oscillatableshafts positioned below said guide rails, a series of plates attached toeach shaft form ing tracks adapted to allow travel of bottles restingwith their base on the said plates, a series of cams on the ends of thesaid shafts, a latch bar operatively mounted on standards secured to theframework, said latch bar bearing against the cams, a latch hook deviceoperatively connected with the latch bar, an electro-magnetic device tooperate the said latch hook device and a series of electric switchesforming an electric circuit with the electro-magnetic device only whenall the passageways are filled with bottles and the bottles are pressedlengthwise of said passageways.

14. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 13, having inaddition a continuously moving apron adapted to convey bottles to saidpassageways, means to distribute bottles laterally to the passagewaysand' press the bottles against the switches and means operated by themovement of the tracks in dumping to restrain the bottles to stop themovement of the bottles ofi the apron.

15. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframing, means to feed empty cases into the, framing, a bottle holdingbasket positioned above a case when located in the framing, mezins toload bottles into the said basket, means operated bythe bottles when thebasket is filled to cause the dropping of the bottles through the basketinto a case and means to convey a filled case out of the machine frammg.

16. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframing, a feeding-in conveyor for empty cases, an

electric motor to operate said conveyor, a movable table at the end ofthe conveyor in the framing a bottle holding basket having a pluralityof passageways positioned above the table, dumping means to retainbottles in the basket, a movable apron for feeding bottles into thebasket, an electro-magnetic means operated by the bottles when all thepassageways are filled, to allow dumping of the bottles 'into a case onthe said table, said table being depressed by the weight of the filledcase, and a continuously operating feemg-out conveyor to engage thefilled case and remove it from the machine framing.

17. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 16, having inaddition a circuit breaker positioned to engage a case "when fed on tothe table and stop the electric motor, and means connected to the tableto make an electric circuit through the circuit breaker on the upwardmovement of the table after discharging the filled case.

18. In a bottle case loading machine, a table adapted to support anempty case, counter-balancing means to retain the table normally inelevated position, a feeding-in conveyor having an electric motor tooperate same, an electric circuit breaker positioned to be engaged by anempty case when fed on the elevated table to break the circuit and stopthe motor and a bridging plate operatively connected to the tableadapted to establish an electricjcircuit when the empty table is in itsuppermost position and thereby start the motor to feed an empty case onthe table.

19. In a bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 18, having inaddition a continuously operating feeding-out conveyor located below thetable, adapted to engage a filled case on the depression of the tableand remove it off the table and out of the machine. y

20. In a bottle case loading machine, a machine framing, a table havinga pair of spaced panels at opposite sides of the framing, a pair ofcounter-balancing lever arms pivotal y mounted in the frame and engagingthe said panels adapted to normally hold the table in elevated position,guide rods to guide the tabletin its upward or downward movement, afeeding-out conveyor positioned in the framing below the table. guideplates pivotally connected to the table adapted to position an emptycase thereon and means actuated by the lowering of the tablethrough theweight of a filled case to actuate the guide plates to release the caseand means on the feeding-out conveyor to engage a case and move it outof the machine framing.

21. In a bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 20, having inaddition a plate having aslot therethrough in which the feeding-outconveyor operates, said plate being positioned between the panels of thetles into adjacent passag table and adapted to receive a filled case onthe depressionof the table and permit engag ing of said case by the saidfeeding-out conveyor.

22. A bottle case loading machine comprising in' combination a machineframework, a bottle holding basket having a plurality of passages and aseries of dumping.

bottoms in each passageway, a counter-balanced movable tableto supportan empty case, a conveyor to feed an empty case on the table, afeeding-out conveyor positioned below the table, electric switches atthe end of each passageway and-means to press the bottles against theelectric switch connected in series, to establish an electric circuit toactuate the dumping bottom of the basket and discharge the bottles intothe case, the filled case causing the lowering of the table to engagethe case with the feeding-out conveyor.

23. A. bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a bottleholding basket having dumping tracks adapted to drop bottlestherethrough, aseries of guide rails dividing the basket into aplurality of passages, the guide rails being contracted towards eachother forming a narrow entrance throat, a continuously moving apronconveyor positioned below the guide rails and pivotally mounteddeflectingfingers on the ends of the guide rails ada ted to shift botesy-the movement of the apron.

24. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 4, having a latchbar, cams connected to the track operatively engaging the latch bar,said latch bar being released by the electrical device and a series ofsprings to return the latch bar and the cams and tracks to their'normalosition.

.25. In a bottle case loa ing machine as claimed in claim 18, in whichthe counterbalancing means com rises a system of levers with acounter-weig t thereon, operatively connected to the table, said systemof levers permitting the table-to swing downwardly when a case is filledand to swing upwardly when the case is removed fromthe table.

26. In a bottle case loading 'machine, a bottle holding basket, a-seriesof rings in the basket, spring wires depending from the said rings,

, tainers tracks supporting a'bottle above each ring and means to tripthe tracks to allow dropping of the bottle through the rings, saidbottle being retarded by the said springs.

v27. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframework and a holding basket, means to retain the containers thereinuntil said holding basket is filled with the number of containersdesired and means to permit dropping ofthe bottles through the bottom ofthebasket into a case.

28. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machine frameworkand a holding basket, means actuated by the containers after saidholdingbasket is filled with the number of containers desired, to let drop saidcontainers through the bottom of the holding basket into a case.

29. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframework, a conveyor and a holding basket, means actuated by thecontainers to distribute automatically said containers in two or morerows as it may be desired, means to retain the containers in the holdingbasket until said holding basket is filled with the number of containersdesired.

30. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machineframework, and a holding basket,

therein until the holding basket is filled with the number of containersdesired, means actuated by the containers after the holding basket isfilled with containers desired, to let ers through the bottom of into acase.

31, A case loading machine com combination a machine framewor aconveyor. and a holding basket, means actuated by the containers todistribute automatically said containers in two or more rows as it maybedesired, means to retain the containers in the holding basket until saidholding basket is filled with the number of containers desired, meansactuated by the containers after said holding basket is filled with thenumber of containers desired, to let dro said containers through thebottom of the olding basket into a case.

In' testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARLOS DULCHE. I

the holding basket rising in the number of drop said contammeans toretain the con- 1

